The version 1.5 release of 'Pageflex Persona' from Pageflex, Inc. offers enhanced support for the Personalized Print Markup Language (PPML) specification, providing [one of] "the first variable publishing solutions to use XML as the intermediate data format between a profile database and the page composition process." PPML, developed by a working group of the Digital Printing Initiative (PODi), "is a new XML-based printer language gaining widespread support in variable data printing applications. PPML is an open, interoperable, device-independent standard designed to enable the widespread use of personalized print applications. PPML uses XML as its syntactical base, and can access page content files generated in many different formats. Applications will ultimately range from desktop to high-end digital printing presses. PPML output is now being integrated into a variety of complete workflows, several of which can use other XML methodologies." The Persona desktop application offers improved optimization for PPML and for CreoScitex VPS (Variable Print Specification) output drivers.

"The Personalized Print Markup Language is a new, XML-based, industry standard print language developed by the world's leading manufacturers of print technology for high-speed production of reusable page content. It has been developed through a special program of PODi - the Digital Printing initiative, a consortium of leading companies in digital printing. The purpose of this language is to provide a fast, industry-standard way to print documents that have reusable content. The language uses XML, the Extensible Markup Language, as its syntactical base, giving it an affinity to many Web-based applications... PPML is an open, interoperable, device-independent standard that will enable the widespread use of personalized print applications. It is a standard developed with commercial intent, to create commercial impact - to genuinely change the economics of personalized printing." [From the PODi information server, 2002-01.]

From the announcement:

Pageflex, Inc. announced today the release of Pageflex Persona 1.5. Persona is Pageflex's desktop application for variable content publishing. Persona 1.5 provides improved optimization for PPML (Personalized Print Markup Language) and CreoScitex VPS (Variable Print Specification) output drivers. In addition, Persona supports other vendor specific output drivers, such as, Indigo JLYT and Xeikon Intellicache. The VPS driver for Persona is available through Xerox. PPML and all other vendor specific output drivers may be purchased separately from Pageflex.

Persona provides page layout and composition tools, including the ability to design page templates and modify composition settings, such as leading, kerning, justification, and hyphenation. Persona users can create conditional rules that determine which content is used in each copy of a document based on a database of customer profiles. Text and image containers then "flex" (resize) based on the size or orientation of the dynamic content that flows into them. In addition, surrounding containers move in concert to adjust with the change, maintaining the page design integrity. Persona is the first variable publishing solution to use XML as the intermediate data format between a profile database and the page composition process.

PPML is a new XML-based industry standard print language for high-speed production of reusable page content. It is an open, interoperable, device-independent standard that will enable the widespread use of personalized print applications. PPML was developed by the world's leading manufacturers of print technology (including Pageflex) as part of the Print on Demand Initiative (PODi).